Rehabilitation / Physical Medicine Expert Witnesses: 10

Diane J. Atkins, OTR/L, is an internationally recognized Occupational Therapist specializing in Upper Limb Amputee Rehabilitation. Diane has over 40 years of extensive clinical experience with upper limb amputees devoted to the evaluation, treatment, prosthetic training and outcomes of children and adults with upper limb loss. She has co-edited and authored 2 texts on these subjects.

Diane has worked with over 2,000 children and adults with amputations and has lectured extensively throughout the US and abroad in areas relating to the evaluation, treatment, training, and functional outcomes of individuals with unilateral and bilateral upper limb loss. She has extensive teaching experience to therapists, physicians and prosthetists.

Diane is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. She has been involved in many grants and research activities sponsored by the National Institute of Health, the Veterans Administration and NASA. In advance of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, she was asked by the United States Surgeon General to present courses for the clinical rehabilitation teams at Walter Reed and Brooke Army Medical Centers regarding the management and care of soldiers who had sustained upper limb loss.

Litigation Support - The ideal client would be anyone who is seeking to better understand the impact of upper limb loss as it relates to overall functional independence, prosthetic componentry and costs, and knowledge of outcomes that may be achieved. 

Areas of Expertise:

• Comprehensive Management of the Upper Limb Amputee with Specific Expertise in Amputee Evaluation
• Pre and Post prosthetic Amputation Management
• Upper Extremity Prosthetic Componentry
• Prosthetic Training
• Functional Outcomes
• Cost Analysis for the Upper Extremity Amputee
• Access to State-of-the Art Providers of Amputee Surgical and Rehabilitation Care

Elite Medical Experts is a physician-led team that hand selects nationally recognized Professors of Medicine and Surgery as expert witnesses. Each expert is a board-certified specialist with a busy clinical practice and impeccable credentials.  From Stanford to Yale, and from every healthcare specialty and field, Elite aligns leading specialists from top-tier medical universities.

Actionable benefits to our clients:

     ♦  Zero-Risk Guarantee:  Approve the expert or we'll refund the fee.

     ♦  Avoid costly mistakes with real-time access to our physician-led Strategy Team.

     ♦  No subscriptions - we earn trust one case at a time.

     ♦  Work directly with hand-selected university experts screened for your specific case.

     ♦  No database or advertised experts - we plan for discovery and transparency at every stage.

Please call [877] 670-8625 to speak directly with our in-house Case Strategy Team. There's no charge for phone or video consultation consultation and we'll outline a a strategic plan for moving forward.

Dr. Burton Bentley II, M.D., FAAEM
CEO, Elite Medical Experts

Areas of Expertise:

Anesthesiology Bariatric Surgery Cardiology Cardiothoracic Surgery Critical Care COVID-19 (SARS Cov-2; Coronavirus) Dermatology and Aesthetic Dermatology Ears, Nose & Throat (Otolaryngology) Emergency Medicine Endocrinology Epidemiology Family Medicine Gastroenterology General Surgery Gerontology Gynecologic Oncology Gynecology Hand Surgery Hospital Medicine (Hospitalist) Infectious Disease Intensive Care (ICU) Medicine Internal Medicine Interventional Radiology Laparoscopic Surgery Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Neonatology Nephrology Neurology Neurosurgery Obstetrics Oncology Ophthalmology Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Orthodontics Orthopedic (Orthopaedic) Surgery Pathology Pediatric Surgery Pediatrics Perinatology Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PMR) Podiatry Psychiatry Pulmonology (Pulmonary Medicine) Radiology Rheumatology Sports Medicine Toxicology Transplant Surgery Trauma Surgery Urology Vascular Surgery

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Dr. Kelly S. Harvey, MS, PT, DPT, TPS, CLCP, CFCE, is a Medical Legal consultant with 27 years of clinical leadership experience and acute, rehabilitation, and concierge practice expertise. Dr. Harvey has been recognized for demonstrating a natural aptitude for Forensic Analysis and Catastrophic Case Management as well as for creating Medical Cost Projections and Life Care Plans.

Dr. Harvey founded Harvey Medical Legal Consulting in 2012 to offer her orthopedic trauma, spinal cord injury, and traumatic brain injury expertise. She maintains a private practice, as well as certifications as a Life Care Planner, Industrial Ergonomist, Functional Capacity Evaluator, Return to Work, Work Readiness, and Work Hardening Evaluator.  Dr. Harvey holds Therapeutic Pain Science Specialty certification that allows her to autonomously evaluate and treat Pain Management patients.

Litigation Support - Dr. Harvey serves the legal industry as a Forensic Analyst, Damages Expert, and Medical Consultant. She is an Industry Best Practice Advisor and Expert Witness in the fields of Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation, and Pain Management. Dr. Harvey offers services to attorneys representing plaintiff and defendant. She provides medical chart review, thorough reporting, depositions, arbitration, and trial testimony as needed. Dr. Harvey has been deposed and/or testified in a court of law over 48 times.

Areas of Expertise:

Life Care Plans Future Medical Cost Projections Catastrophic Care Manager Physical Therapy Orthopedic Injuries Traumatic Brain Injury Spinal Cord Injury Amputation Burns

Pain Management Evaluations Rehabilitation Case Management Defense Medical Exam Functional Capacity Evaluations Product Liability Personal Injury Medical Malpractice Home and Site Evaluation

Education / Training:

• Doctorate of Physical Therapy, International Spine and Pain Institute;
• Therapeutic Pain Specialist, International Spine and Pain Institute;
• Master of Physical Therapy, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons; 
• BA in Psychology and Biology, University of California at Santa Barbara

Kevin Kucko, MAPT, ATC is a licensed Physical Therapist with over 23 years of experience. His specialty areas include Work-injury Reduction, Outpatient Services Development, and Physical Rehabilitation. 

Background Experience - Mr. Kucko began his career as an athletic trainer working with athletes from college through the NFL. He quickly focused on accelerating recovery times while rehabilitating orthopedic injuries. In 1995, he completed his Masters’ degree in Physical Therapy. Since that time, he has served as Department Director at various rehabilitation facilities throughout the east. 

Litigation Support - With over 13 years of experience performing Functional Capacity Evaluations, Mr. Kucko has helped hundreds of clients resolve cases with the best possible outcome. He provides services to attorneys representing both Plaintiff and Defense. Kevin Kucko offers meticulous review of medical records in preparation for trial and depositions. For cases where therapy and physical rehabilitation are involved, he sets the foundation by explaining medical conditions and interventions in a clear and concise manner that jurors understand. Mr. Kucko has been deposed and/or testified 14 times since 2010. 

Areas of Expertise:

Physical Therapy Physical Rehabilitation TMJ Dysfunction Peripheral Neuropathy

Sports Performance Neck and Back Pain Headaches Shoulder and Knee Rehab

Tom LeTourneau, LPO, CPO, FAAOP, has over 45 years of experience in the Design, Manufacture, and Fitting of Orthotic and Prosthetic Devices, including all Myoelectric applications and all Microprocessors.  He is a Certified Orthotist and Prosthetist by the American Board of Certification of Orthotist and Prosthetists and Fellow of the American Academy of Orthotist and Prosthetists.

Litigation Support - Mr. LeTourneau has over 20 years of experience  providing Orthotics and Prosthetics expert opinions to life care planning care management personnel and law firms for both plaintiff and defendant. Licensed Prosthetist and Orthotist by the state of Texas, he is available for record review, thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed.

Areas of Expertise:

Orthotics and Prosthetics Design and Manufacture Orthotics and Prosthetic: Rehabilitation Fitting Care and Maintenance Activity Usage Coding and Pricing Artificial Limbs Upper Extremity Amputees Myoelectric Prosthetics Foot Prosthetics Spinal Orthosis

Amputees Braces - Leg, Knee, Hip Polio Bracing KAFO Stroke Drop Foot Foot / Toe Amputation Diabetics Diabetic Shoes Gait Deviation Worker's Compensation Medicare

Memberships, Certifications, & Highlights:

• Member of the Upper Extremity and Lower Extremity scientific society of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists
• Member of the American Association of Orthist and ProsthetistsCertification extensions in all myoelectric upper extremity Orthotics and Prosthetics, Micro-processor prosthetic Knee and feet applications, and X-finger applications
• Inventor / and or co-designer in Te-Evolution Above the Knee socket design, Stealth Ankle foot orthosis, " No more knee pain " Knee orthosis, acti-ankle
• CEO and Founder of a Multi-million dollar ( licensed and certified ) Orthotic and Prosthetic company
• Featured in articles and news organizations ( local and National )including CNN, NBC., CBS, the History Channel, and family circle magazine
• Awarded Freedom award for exceptional service for veterans ( only 35 companies nationwide receive an award )

Megan M. Hamilton, MS, CCC-SLP earned her Master of Science degree from Marquette University and holds a lean six sigma green belt from Purdue University as well as a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech Language and Hearing Association (ASHA).  Megan currently provides consultation to hospital speech language pathology and serves as a forensic medical SLP throughout the United States.  Megan has held positions as direct care provider, site manager, regional vice president, and division manager of clinical education for national rehabilitation providers in long term care, sub acute, and pediatric care.   She brings over 30 years of experience to her clients.  

Litigation Support - No healthcare provider can prevent aspiration and/or choking for all patients at all times, but all SLPs can be expected to practice within accepted standards of care.  Megan's exhaustive review of case materials can determine whether diagnosis, evaluation, recommendations and discharge determination were based upon sound clinical reasoning to mitigate adverse outcomes and facilitate improvement.  If standards of care were met, Megan provides evidence-based opinions of such.  When care failed to meet accepted standards, Megan can illustrate how the SLP provider deviated from standards.  She can assist in determining if substandard care contributed to negative outcomes including suspected choking event, aspiration, dehydration, health decline or death.  

Areas of Expertise:

Speech Therapy Speech Language Pathology Swallowing Oral Dysphagia Pharyngeal Dysphagia Esophageal Dysphagia TBI Expressive Language Receptive Language Parkinsons Choking Cognition Dehydration COVIDs impact on communication, dehydration and swallowing

Dementia Diet Texture Liquid Viscosity Aphasia Apraxia Dysarthria Developmental Disabilities Stroke CVA Aspiration Aspiration Pneumonia End of Life Nutrition Executive Skills Standards of Care

Megan has been an instructor in the areas of cognition, dysphagia / swallowing, end of life nutrition, and Medicare regulatory compliance. She has presented at conferences for the American Occupational Therapy Association and local Speech Language Hearing Associations as an employee of national Rehab companies.

The Lios Manhe (pronounced LIZ munee) mission is to be a trusted partner to plaintiff or defense by providing thorough analysis and independent opinions supported by science and based upon evidence collected.  
   

MRK Medical Consultants provides Medical-Legal Evaluations to help legal and insurance professionals reach appropriate conclusions about their client's situations. MRK provides a wide array of medical experts that offer objective review and analysis of personal injuries. Each stage of the process—research to review, analysis to opinion—is addressed in a comprehensive manner in order to help legal and insurance professionals reach appropriate conclusions about their client’s situations. MRK's prestigious list of more than forty consultants are active clinicians and surgeons, who are all board-certified or eligible in one or more specialties. MRK provides physician experts to the entire State of California, the Reno/Lake Tahoe area, and Las Vegas, and we travel to many areas of the United States. Physical therapy, registered nurses, physician assistant, and billing review consultants are available services MRK provides. Our office physicians are available for telephone review of the merits of your case before you decide to proceed.  

Edward W. Younger, III, M.D., Medical Director of MRK Medical Consultants, specializes in Orthopedic Surgery. He has extensive experience in total joint replacement, as well as reconstructive surgery of the knee, hip, and shoulder. He was instrumental in bringing computer navigation technology to his hospital. He served on the orthopedic trauma staff at Mercy San Juan Medical Center in Carmichael, California, for more than fifteen years and was instrumental in bringing computer navigation technology to that institution. He is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha National Honor Society and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, a member of the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, and the California Orthopedic Association.

Dr. Michael R. Klein, Jr., M.D., specializes in Orthopedic Surgery and is a founding member and the first Medical Director of Northern California Orthopedic Centers. He was involved with the development of the orthopedic section of the Level II Trauma Center at Mercy San Juan Medical Center. He served as a clinical professor at the University of California, Davis, Medical Center for more than thirty years. He has been a member of the North American Spine Society since 2009 and was awarded the David O. Selby Award in 2020 for his contributions. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, and a member of the American Medical Association and the California Medical Association. He retired from the USAF in 1998 after being on active duty during the Vietnam War, and he was activated for Operation Desert Storm in 1991. 

MRK's Areas of Expertise:

Orthopedics Neurosurgery / Neurology Anesthesiology / Pain Management Bariatric Surgery Cardiology Chiropractic Orthopedics Covid-19 Critical Care/ICU Chronic Pain  Dermatology Emergency Medicine Endocrinology Gastroenterology General Surgery / Trauma Geriatrics Family Practice IME Life Care Planning Medical Billing / Bill Auditing Medical Malpractice

Medical Record Review Metallurgical Engineering Neuropsychology Neuroradiology Obstetrics / Gynecology / OB/GYN Ophthalmology Optometry Orthopedic Implants Otolaryngology Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physical Therapy Plastic Surgery Podiatry Pulmonary Medicine Radiology Sports Medicine Thoracic Surgery  Traumatic Brain Injury Vascular Surgery Vocational Rehabilitation

Arnold J. Weil, MD has over 29 years of experience specializing in Non-Surgical Orthopaedics and Pain Management. A Diplomat of the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Chief Executive Officer of Non-Surgical Orthopaedics, P.C., one of the premier orthopaedic practices in the metro Atlanta area. 

Dr. Weil's practice focuses on conservative, non-surgical care of orthopaedic injuries, including the spine and extremities, with emphasis on spine rehabilitation, functional restoration, pain management, and ergonomic modifications. He treats patients with back and neck pain and a variety of other orthopaedic conditions. Managing acute and chronic pain through an advanced Non-Surgical approach, Dr. Weil has become one of the leading experts on Spine Care and Disability Management.

 

Video: Non-Surgical Orthopaedics, P.C. | The Overview

Litigation Support - Arnold Weil provides litigation support services to attorneys representing plaintiffs and defendants. He has maintained an unbiased reputation in the medical and legal community. Dr. Weil's experience includes over 300 depositions, medical-legal reviews, peer reviews, and trial appearances. 

Areas of Expertise:

Back, Neck, Spine Injuries Disability Management Pain Management Physical Medicine Workers' Compensation Injuries

Disc Herniation, Bulge, Rupture Independent Medical Evaluations Peer Review Physical Rehabilitation Sports Injuries

View Dr. Weil's Consulting Profile.

Mr. John F. Schulte, is an accomplished Orthotic and Prosthetic practitioner with 40 plus years of experience consulting and treating Body and External powered upper and lower extremity prosthetics for all age groups.

Mr. Schulte has vast knowledge and experience in clinical practice prosthetic and orthotic component development, design, and manufacturing. A Clinician, Patient Care Consultant, and Senior Manager of 27 offices throughout 5 states, he is considered an expert in his field. Mr. Schulte continues to be asked to consult on Clinical ‘Best Practices’ by physicians, third party payors, peers, and patient users on the most appropriate component utilization and outcome measurements.

A published author, consultant, and Clinical Board Examiner, Mr. Schulte has treated and been involved with the treatment of persons of all ages with congenital birth defects, limb weakness and loss, and spinal cord injury.

Litigation Support - John Schulte's intimate knowledge in prosthetic and orthotic clinical practice and management, component prescription recommendation, and selection and utilization for all patient ages and levels of function make him an excellent expert witness resource. His services are available to attorneys representing plaintiff and defendant and include medical record review, second opinions, written reports, depositions, and trial testimony.

Areas of Expertise:

• Appropriate Prosthetic / Orthotic Component Selection Recommendation
• Utilization and Failures Due to Improper Manufacturing Processes
• Prescription Appropriateness
• Clinical Applications and Negligence Directly Related to Limb Weakness and Loss
• Spinal Cord Injury and Treatment
• Wrongful Death Investigation and Determination
• Limb Damage and Loss in Diabetics as Related to Footwear
• LifeCare Plan Consultation and Preparation as Related to Orthotics and Prosthetics

Education:

• New York University Medical School Orthotics and Prosthetics Certificate Program, Certification as Certified Prosthetist, 1973
• Northwestern University Medical School Orthotics and Prosthetics Certificate Program, Certification as Certified Orthotist, 1973

David A.Sugar, MD, is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon. He has been in practice since 1997. Working as a general Orthopaedic Surgeon, he has treated an extremely wide array of Orthopaedic conditions and injuries.

Dr. Sugar has served as the Managing Partner in a group as large as 11 doctors and worked on the Surgical QI Committee ( currently serves as the Chairman) at the 35th largest hospital in the United States. Dr. Sugar is currently the principal surgeon at Sugar Orthopaedics where they provide surgical and non-surgical treatments for muscular and skeletal problems of all types.

Litigation Support - Dr Sugar has offered expert witness services for attorneys representing plaintiff and defendant for 20 years. His services include independent medical evaluations (IMEs), medical record review, thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony. Dr. Sugar's cases have a heavy emphasis on Fractures, Knee, Shoulder, Sports Medicine, and Pediatric Orthopaedics.

Areas of Expertise:

Orthopedic Surgery Occupational Medicine Chronic Pain / Pain Management Personal Injury

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physical Therapy Sports Medicine Medical Malpractice